Zahra.Chehri. Mobile Assistant Language Learning
Mobile Assistant Language Learning Description The use of Academic Podcasting Technology and MALL (Mobile Assisted Language Learning) is reshaping teaching and learning by supporting, expanding, and enhancing course content, learning activities, and teacher-student interactions. Introduction In August 2004, Duke University provided free iPods to its entire freshman class (Belanger, 2005). The next month, a Korean education firm offered free downloadable college entrance exam lectures to students who purchased an iRiver personal multimedia player (Kim, 2004). That October, a financial trading firm in Chicago was reportedly assessing the hand-eye coordination of traders’ using GameBoys(Logan, 2004). Yet while such innovative applications abound, the use of technology in education and training is far from new, a fact as true in language classrooms as it is in medical schools. Practically since their availability, a succession of audiovisual recording devices (e.g., reel-to-reel, VCRs, PCs) has been used to capture language samples, and myriad playback and broadcast devices (e.g., phonographs, radios, televisions) have provided access to authentic speech samples. The espousal of audiolingual theory in the 1950s brought the widespread use of the language laboratory in educational settings (Salaberry, 2001). Influenced by behaviorism, the lab was progressively replaced in the 1960s by drill-based computer-assisted instruction, which decades later was itself surpassed by a more intelligent, interactive and multimedia computer-assisted language learning. The popular acceptance of the Internet in the 1990s advanced the development of computer-mediated communications. As technologies continue to evolve, so does their propensity to shrink in size. "Other technologies that hold the capacity for language learning include PDAs, multimedia cellular phones, MP3 players, DVD players, and digital dictionaries" (Zhao, 2005, p. 447). Such portable media—referred to in popular and scholarly literature as mobile, wireless, handheld or nomadic—are now social staples. Mobile learning, or m-learning, is a burgeoning subdivision of the e-learning movement, further evidenced by European initiatives such as m-learning and Mobilearn. In this paper, applied fusions of m-learning and language learning follow, after which their benefits and challenges are reviewed. MALL Applications As in other technology-enhanced language learning milieu, mobile learning environments might be face-to-face, distance, or online; further, they may be self-paced or calendar-based. Copaert (2004) emphasizes the importance of developing the language learning environment before deciding on the role of mobile technologies and further emphasizes focusing on the learner ahead of the technology. Salaberry (2001) also argues against "technology-driven pedagogy," suggesting that despite their revolutionary status, it is not clear that any modern technology (e.g., television, radio, the PC) has offered the same pedagogical benefits as traditional second language instruction. Beatty (2003) offers a further caveat that "teachers need to be concerned about investing time and money in unproven technology". Stipulations aside, technologies, mobile or otherwise, can be instrumental in language instruction. Ultimately, though, they are not in and of themselves instructors; rather, they are instructional tools. And the effective use of any tool in language learning requires the thoughtful application of second language pedagogy. Imaginative examples of such applications—using cell phones, personal digital assistants, and portable digital audio players—are illustrated next. Cell Phones Since their inception, the dimensions of cell phones have waned as much as their abilities have waxed. Common features of these devices now include Internet access, voice-messaging, SMS text-messaging, cameras, and even video-recording. In language learning, all of these features enable communicative language practice, access to authentic content, and task completion. Though research of such uses is scarce, it is not non-existent. The use of telephones in distance language learning is not unique to m-learning. Twarog and Pereszlenyi-Pinter (1988) used telephones to provide distant language learners with feedback and assistance. In 1996, instructors at Brigham Young University-Hawaii taught a distance-learning English course from Hawaii to Tonga via telephone and computer (Green, Collier, & Evans, 2001). And Dickey (2001) utilized teleconferencing to teach an English conversation course in South Korea. One of the first projects using mobile phones in language learning was developed by the Stanford Learning Lab. (Brown, 2001). Specifically, they developed Spanish study programs utilizing both voice and email with mobile phones. These programs included vocabulary practice, quizzes, word and phrase translations, and access to live talking tutors. Their results indicated that mobile phones were effective for quiz delivery if delivered in small chunks; they also indicated that automated voice vocabulary lessons and quizzes had great potential. Their tiny screen sizes were deemed "unsuitable for learning new content but effective for review and practice" (Thornton & Houser, 2002). Live tutoring was also effective, but poor audio quality was judged to potentially affect comprehension adversely Thornton and Houser (2002; 2003; 2005) also developed several innovative projects using mobile phones to teach English at a Japanese university. One focused on providing vocabulary instruction by SMS. Three times a day, they emailed short mini-lessons to students, sent in discrete chunks so as to be easily readable on the tiny screens. Lessons defined five words per week, recycled previous vocabulary, and used the words in various contexts, including episodic stories. Students were tested biweekly and compared to groups that received identical lessons via the Web and on paper. The authors then explored usability and learning issues. The results indicated that the SMS students learned over twice the number of vocabulary words as the Web students, and that SMS students improved their scores by nearly twice as much as students who had received their lessons on paper. Students’ attitudes were also measured. The vast majority preferred the SMS instruction, wished to continue such lessons, and believed it to be a valuable teaching method. The authors theorized that their lessons had been effective due to their having been delivered as push media, which promote frequent rehearsal and spaced study, and utilized recycled vocabulary. Levy and Kennedy (2005) created a similar program for Italian learners in Australia, sending vocabulary words and idioms, definitions, and example sentences via SMS in a spaced and scheduled pattern of delivery, and requesting feedback in the form of quizzes and follow up questions. Another program by Thornton and Houser (2003) utilized a classroom polling system, EduCALL (inspired byEduClick), to survey students during class in order to determine vocabulary retention. Poll questions were projected, students used their cell phones to surf to the polling software and make their selections, and the tabulations were projected as bar graphs. In this way, students and teachers alike received immediate feedback. Kiernan and Aizawa (2004) set out to study whether or not mobile phones were useful language learning tools and to explore their use in task-based learning. They argued that second language acquisition is best promoted through the utilization of tasks, which require learners to close some sort of gap, thereby focusing the learner on meaning. In the traditional classroom, however, such activities are easily defeated by the close proximity of students. The use of mobile technologies would be one way to separate learners. In their study, upper and lower level Japanese university students were placed into three groups: PC email users, mobile phone email users, and mobile phone speaking users (due to cost, this latter group became face-to-face speaking users). Then they were given a pre-test, three narrative tasks, three invitation tasks, and a repeated post-test. While all the face-to-face speaking users completed these tasks in the time provided, only two pairs of PC email users and one pair of mobile phone email users completed the tasks. The face-to-face speaking users had significantly faster performances, and the mobile phone email users had the slowest; however, the latter were not significantly slower than the PC email users. These differences were attributed to relative speed of typing versus speaking, and the relative speed of typing on mobile thumb pads versus keyboards. An interesting side-note was that the fastest mobile phone email user had told the entire story in only a single text-message. In general, fewer words were used by mobile phone email users, yet they were able to communicate effectively. While the upper-level students' performance improved significantly on the post-test, this was likely due to a change in the post-test format for this group (since the pre-test required written translations, but the post–test consisted of multiple choice questions). Several other free and commercial mobile language learning programs have recently become available: theBBC World Service’s Learning English section offers English lessons via SMS in Francophone West Africa and China (Godwin-Jones, 2005); BBC Wales has similarly offered Welsh lessons since 2003 (Andrews, 2003); and an EU-funded initiative known simply as 'm-learning' provides English lessons directed towards non-English speaking young adults. The goal of such programs is to engage new kinds of learners (e.g., young, disabled) in a time and place of their preference (Godwin-Jones, 2005; Kadyte, 2004; Kukulska-Hulme, 2005). Norbrook and Scott (2003) suggest that portability and immediacy, rather than localization, are the essential motivating factors in mobile language learning. Further, lessons are provided in bite-sized format, a fact appealing to busy students (McNicol, 2004). Lessons are typically delivered several times a week or even daily, include translations, and provide options for further context-based applications. One of the newest technologies with potential application in language learning is moblogging, an amalgam of mobile and weblogging. Mielo (2005) further defines moblogging as using a cell phone or PDA "in the field" to post words and/or pictures to a web site .Blogs themselves are a recent trend in language teaching. They provide opportunities for language creation (i.e., journaling) and collaborative activities. Moblogs offer the potential to expound these benefits by removing time and place boundaries and adding authentic and personal visual content. While the applications of cell phones have typically been pedagogic in nature, they have also been used for practical or administrative matters, such as simplified and flexible student-teacher communications (e.g., course updates and reminders) and referrals to related web sites and other up-to-date instructional resources (Dias, 2002, Summer/Fall; Levy & Kennedy, 2005). PDAs Personal digital assistants (PDAs) are more often associated with m-learning than cell phones. Their use has been integrated into various disciplines within high schools, universities, and medical schools (Carlson, 2002). In language learning, one of its primary functions has been as translator. Software programs such as MobiLearn allege to turn PDAs into 'talking phrase books.' In evaluating the gains of Chinese learners of English using handheld translators, Myers (2000) made numerous observations: the learners repeatedly practiced saying unfamiliar words typed into the machine; they took written notes about new words and phrases learned from the machine; they typed full words into the machine and quickly learned to recognize word stems; they were shown words in context according to the lexical approach; they soon preferred to look up words and phrases from the English side of the translator rather than the Chinese side, indicating an attempt to function in the foreign language; and they quickly improved their spelling. Despite these benefits, the author promotes the use of a contextual translator only in cases where the target language is similar to the native language. More elaborate language learning software programs have also been developed for PDAs and the like. Garcia Cabrere (2002) evaluated a business Spanish course developed for smart-phones, encompassing video clips, exercises, and a glossary. Students were reported to be highly motivated and impressed—particularly by the video and multimedia functions—but expressed difficulty in using pointers and virtual keyboards for data entry. Thornton and Houser (2003) developed an English idiom web site, including definitions, illustrative videos and animations, and multiple-choice quizzes, specifically for mobile technologies. In their study, students accessed these web pages using either PDAs or mobile web and video phones, and then evaluated their usability. Scores were generally positive—and similar—for both media, but PDA users rated their video quality higher than the mobile phone users, likely due to larger screen size and higher resolution. All students expressed difficulty with the listening tasks, though the authors note that neither headphones nor earphones were used in the study, and that none of the actors or writers were native English speakers. Several foreign language courses at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, have also used wireless handheld computers for various classroom activities (Samuels, 2003). An instructor of Norwegian developed web-based grammar and vocabulary exercises to be accessed with the handhelds, allowing her to integrate technology activities into the class without having to move to the program’s language lab. Minor problems were reported, including trouble resizing pictures to fit in the small screen and sporadic difficulties with network connections. A French class used the handheld devices for various small group and whole class online chatting. A Latin class used them to access ancient poems, both in text and audio. Difficulties included slow processing time and font limitations. PDAs offer numerous other uses, including Internet and wireless access, and therefore file-sharing between teachers and students and amongst students themselves. Data is also easily backed up on personal computers. Further, at present, a standard feature of these devices is handwriting recognition. Despite such functionality, Beatty (2003) believes that the future success of PDAs depends in part on their ability to accommodate voice recognition. iPods Digital audio files (e.g., MP3s) provide high-quality sound in a compressed format. The portable media players developed to listen to them are also rather compact. Most renowned amongst them is Apple’siPod, the latest version of which not only provides audio functionality but also video. Arguably as popular as the iPod itself are its add-ons (e.g., microphones, speakers) and downloadable software, including language learning programs. iLingo, for example, is a downloadable language translation software, or an electronic phrase book. Several other applications of the iPod in language learning have been explored. In the fall of 2004, Duke University provided all incoming freshmen with free 20 gigabyte iPods equipped with voice recorders. Amongst the pilot courses utilizing the players were several language courses, which utilized both their listening and recording capabilities. Students in a Spanish class used iPods to respond to verbal quizzes, submit audio assignments, record audio journals, and receive oral feedback from their instructor. A Turkish class used them to listen to authentic materials such as news, songs, and poems, and to the instructor’s vocabulary and translations (Belanger, 2005). Apple Computer itself has taken to promoting the iPod’s educational uses. Available on iPod in the Classroom are lesson plans for the language classroom, as well as success stories. A middle school in Nebraska, for example, is reported to have been using iPods to record speech samples for self and teacher assessment of English language learners. Students taking distance-learning German and Spanish courses through the United Kingdom’s Open University are similarly using digital voice recorders and mini-camcorders to record interviews with other students and locals and to create audiovisual tours (Kukulska-Hulme, 2005). While the goal has been to ultimately upload their works to web sites for sharing with other students, web space limitations have made this difficult. An additional problem has been that students were provided with these devices at the start of the course, leaving inadequate time to learn to properly use them. The iPod has also spawned a new form of media known as podcasting, a portmanteau which combinesiPod and broadcasting. While the aforementioned blogs are traditionally text-based, audio blogs or podcasts, are essentially downloadable broadcasts with RSS (really simple syndication) feeds which allow listeners to subscribe. Subscribers to such podcasts automatically receive updates. Once downloaded, audio content can be transferred to a media player. Still in its nascency, podcasting is already widely utilized in language learning, both to access authentic content and to record it. Myriad subscriptions are available to English and other language learners. Lessons in Shona—Zimbabwe’s main language—for example, are available for download (Winter, 2005). Englishcaster provides a list of podcasts specifically created for English language learners. Voice of America’ Special English programs have also been made available via podcast. And EFL instructor Graham Stanley (2005) has created a podcast itself on the use of podcasts for EFL teachers. Benefits and Challenges Mobile technologies clearly offer numerous practical uses in language learning. In many cases, they are readily available. In Japan, for instance, cell phone ownership has been reported to be nearly universal amongst college-aged individuals (Dias, 2002, Spring; Thornton and Houser, 2005). In a recent study of students in higher education in the United States (Kvavik, 2005), 82% owned cell phones. In the same study, however, less than 12% owned PDAs. Even in cases where they must be acquired, mobile technologies are typically less expensive than standard equipment, such as PCs. The portability of mobile media is another benefit. They can be just as easily utilized outside of the classroom as they can in it; learners can study or practice manageable chunks of information in any place on their own time, thereby taking advantage of their convenience. Ultimately, what these benefits indicate is the potential MALL has in expanding social inclusion in language learning. Notwithstanding its benefits, MALL also poses related challenges. For instance, inherent in the portability of mobile media are reduced screen sizes, limited audiovisual quality, virtual keyboarding and one-finger data entry, and limited power. Further, their availability can be limited. While cell phone ownership may be almost universal for college-aged individuals, this is not true for other populations or media. The costs to educational institutions of purchasing them en masse could be staggering. Nevertheless, Gilgen (2004) has demonstrated the possibilities of developing mobile labs for schools with limited funding. Other potential drawbacks include limited nonverbal communications, limited message lengths, a lack of cultural context, and potentially limited social interaction. While mobile technologies are advancing, their output is quickly moving from verbal to visual, a clear disadvantage for language learning (Colpaert, 2004). Connection problems are also a concern: web-based language learners might choose to limit their online connection times, or they may not have access at all. Still, as a result of this issue, Trifanova, Knapp, Ronchetti, and Gamper (2004) are developing a program which allows learners of web-based German and Italian courses to hoard online content—a process similar to planned caching—so that it can be used during periods of disconnection. Academic Podcasting and Mobile Assisted Language Learning: ''' Applications and Outcomes shares innovative and pedagogically effective ways to improve foreign language education by identifying the instructional uses and benefits of academic podcasting technology and MALL in foreign language acquisition. These include instructional uses, students’ perceived learning gains, how instructors can use/have used the technology (successes and challenges), study abroad experiences with the technology, pedagogical impact, and economic perspectives on its use. '''Preface The use of Academic Podcasting Technology and Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) is reshaping teaching and learning as it supports, expands, and enhances course content, learning activities, and teacher-learner interactions. The new wave of “enabled wifi” personal multimedia players is expanding learners’ access and mobility and is providing opportunities for them to time-shift their learning activities. Indeed, Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) continues to gain popularity as it is becoming carefully and thoughtfully integrated into the foreign language curriculum, and as it provides learning tools to the “net generation” (Oblinger & Oblinger, 2005). For this new generation, which comprises students who have been encouraged to “to take control of what they learn” (Kukulska-Hulme & Shield, 2007), MALL (and particularly podcasting) is playing a key role in their learning as it provides them with instructional materials and low-cost tools which enable them to work toward developing and improving language proficiency. As an audio/video content delivery approach based on web syndication protocols, podcasting provides increased flexibility and portability of learning materials, while allowing students the ability to time-shift and multitask (Thorne & Payne, 2005). Syndication is the cornerstone of podcasting; by allowing subscription and notification, this XML-based protocol shifts audio/video file handling from a static and manual mode to a dynamic and automated mode. “Academic Podcasting Technology” refers to the use of iPods and other MP3/MP4 players to disseminate audio and video programming over the Internet. “MALL” refers to any type of learning which is mediated by handheld devices, regardless of time or location. Their creative possibilities and their ease and popularity of use, as well as their overall cost effectiveness, make podcasting and MALL attractive, innovative, and pedagogically effective ways to improve and enhance foreign language education for both students and faculty. In fact, the integration of podcasting and MALL technologies (personal multimedia players, cell phones, and handheld devices) into the foreign language curriculum is commonplace in many secondary and higher education institutions, as these students are generally more accepting of these new technologies in other parts of their lives. In this regard, current research has identified both pedagogically sound applications for these new technologies and important benefits to students from the use of these applications. For example, recent findings indicate that when instructors use podcasts for multiple instructional purposes (e.g., to critique student projects and exams, for student-centered video presentations, for student-paired interviews, to complete specific assignments or dictations, in roundtable discussions, or for guest lectures), students are more likely to use this technology in a new, academic setting, and to report academic benefits. Perhaps one of the most important benefits of podcasting, in addition to its ability to ease content distribution and to expand classroom time (Brien and Hegelheimer, 2007), is its potential “to foster a more seamless integration of in-class and out-of-class activity and materials” (p. 386). Purpose of the Book Mobile devices are ubiquitous in the educational landscape. These devices, particularly the new powerful and promising ones which offer rich multimedia experiences using a tactile interface, continue to penetrate into the field of education. To contribute to the effective integration of podcasting and MALL, the main purpose of this book is to provide an overview of ways to plan, design, produce, and integrate podcasting and MALL into language learning and acquisition. While this book attempts to provide effective ways of using podcasting, it also aims at helping the reader understand the pedagogical, technical, and logistical issues associated with podcasting in particular, and with MALL in general. By offering a compilation of best practices and recommended processes for planning, designing, and producing effective podcasts for second language learning and acquisition, this book approaches an audience that is broad enough to include all practitioners interested in using podcasts for language education. Faculty reading it will find a solid pedagogical framework that will help them to anchor their integration of podcasting and MALL into their teaching and learning activities. Similarly, librarians will find relevant references and practical case studies to share with members of their faculty who are interested in using podcasting as part of their curricula. Instructional designers and technologists will find planning and production steps for developing podcasts. However, while this book provides enough basic technical information to enable the production of podcasts, it should not be considered to be merely a technical reference book, as it offers pedagogical and philosophical underpinnings for the use of podcasting in enhancing and extending language learning. Finally, this book is also intended to assist researchers interested in exploring and advancing the field of MALL and its integration into language learning and acquisition. Organization of the Book This book is organized into four sections. The first section, which comprises five chapters, introduces MALL and language acquisition. In the first chapter, Lomicka and Lord offer a historical review of the uses of podcasting in K-12 and higher education language learning classrooms, while exploring current and potential pedagogical applications for academic podcasting. In the second chapter, Fernandez presents practical guidance for the design and production of pedagogically effective podcasts, with a focus on the importance of setting learning objectives. Following the same line of thinking, but writing from a more technical angle, Gonzalez, in the third chapter, describes several strategies to use in order to incorporate multimedia content into podcasts, and addresses the gray area of copyright. In the fourth chapter, Corbeil and Corbeil offer what they call a “simple guide for creating your first podcast.” In the final chapter of this section, Hsueh draws attention to the usefulness of social networks’ applications to language learning. The author discusses various Web 2.0 applications and their potential and challenges, while exploring the ways in which mobile technologies are assisting language learning. In the second section, the focus of the book shifts to student-centered projects. In the first chapter, Beres refocuses the discussion to one from the student perspective and discusses the ways in which MALL is blurring the boundaries between students’ personal and educational lives. In this regard, the author reminds us of the pressing need to “better understand our learners, their needs, and the contexts in which they study language.” In the second chapter, Martín and Beckmann guide us through the implementation of a pedagogically-sound model for the effective use of academic podcasting in immersive-style language teaching. The authors describe the genesis, implementation, and evaluation of an innovative approach to the intensive use of academic podcasting in the teaching of Spanish to undergraduate students. The third section describes the potential of podcasting’s use to engage students during their study abroad experiences. In the first chapter, Murphy-Judy discusses ways in which podcasting can help students create a transnational community of practice that shares the wealth of experiential learning through carefully structured and planned activities. In the second chapter, Summerfield describes how podcasting can “engage students extensively in language- and culture-based tasks” while cultivating collaboration and creativity among students. The final section focuses on the use of podcasting in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). In the first chapter, Ting describes how podcasting can be used for instructional, informational, and developmental purposes for pre-service teachers. In addition to providing an insight into the attitudes of these prospective teachers toward podcasting in education and its future use in schools, the author reiterates previous research findings that have reported that podcasting not only is an “integrative and supplementary learning tool, but also as a powerful generator of knowledge, which encourages active learning.” In the second chapter, Nurmukhamedov and Sadler attempt to assist language teachers in their search to find “useful and learner-friendly podcasts to supplement their language instruction.” To this end, the authors categorize podcasting into four categories and offer practical suggestions that allow for the integration of podcasts into both in- and out-of-class activities. As the convergence of hardware, telecommunication, and software infuse the educational landscape with more and more powerful mobile devices, we hope that this book will contribute to a better understanding and a stronger integration of these tools, particularly as they reconfigure traditional teaching and learning practices while extending both our and our students’ cognitive abilities. Author(s)/Editor(s) Biography Betty Rose Facer is Senior Lecturer of French and the Director of the Language Learning Center in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. She received her Master of Arts degree from Syracuse University in French Language and Literatures. Her research interests include computer-assisted language learning and instruction, and the impact of new media on foreign language pedagogy. She is the recipient of numerous grants, including one from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to focus on the use of technology in language learning and teaching. She has made presentations at the International Association for Language Learning Technology, the Computer Assisted Language Instruction Consortium, the Mid Atlantic Association for Language Learning Technology, and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. She serves as an Official Delegate to the Joint National Committee for Languages (JNCL) in Washington, DC to identify national needs and to plan national language policies. Mohammed Abdous is the Assistant Vice-President for Teaching and Learning with Technology and the Director of the Center for Learning Technologies at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, where he provides leadership and assistance to the Provost’s Office and to the Distance Learning office to (1) conceive, implement, and evaluate processes for effectively integrating technology into teaching and learning practices, and (2) manage and produce quality online programs and courses. His responsibilities include, among other things, the development of institution-wide faculty development programs and the management of online program/course production projects. Dr. Abdous' research interests include emerging technologies, process re-engineering, and quality assurance for online courses. Dr. Abdous works also as a UNICEF consultant for the Tunisian and Syrian Ministries of Education, where he has conducted a series of workshops on program and project evaluation, textbooks and curriculum design, and evaluation and project review. Editorial Board Susanne Rott, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA Kathryn Murphy-Judy, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA Gillian Lord, University of Florida, USA Alison Schoew, Old Dominion University, USA BURLINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Nuance Communications, Inc. (NAS: NUAN) today announced that its Dragon Mobile Assistant app for Android is breaking the traditional mobile personal assistant mold. Dragon now features unique proactive assistant and location sharing capabilities, making it easier than ever to find and meet up with friends, get automatically dialed into your next conference call, and hear text messages read aloud as they come in - turning Android smartphones into an even more intelligent personal assistant that is ready to serve with two simple words: "Hi Dragon." Dragon already gives Android lovers the must-have mobile personal assistant features to quickly access information, content, apps, music and people, as well as set appointments and get directions, just by using their voice - no hands required. Dragon's latest enhancements further evolve the personal assistant experience with new anticipatory capabilities that showcase the true potential of our digital wingmen. Location Sharing and Friend Finder: Dragon now gives you the option to share your location or find your friends. Just say "Tell John where I am," and Dragon will send John a text with a link to your location on a map. Need to meet John at a BBQ joint in the crowds of SXSW? Just ask Dragon, "Where's John?" and with his permission, Dragon will respond with a map showing his location. Calendar Call Assistant: Dragon now automatically dials you into any call set in a calendar appointment - intelligently anticipating your needs. Dragon knows when you have a scheduled call coming up, and shortly before hand will ask if you would like to be dialed in. If so, a simple tap gets you connected. So whether you need to dial into a conference bridge with a long passcode or a reminder to call your mother on her birthday, Dragon both reminds and makes the call for you - delivering a mobile personal assistant experience that transcends work, life and play. End-to-End Hands-Free Text Messaging: Dragon already lets you dictate text messages to contacts completely hands free, and with these latest updates, it now reads incoming text messages aloud with the ability to respond, no hands required. Dragon dictates your message and delivers it for you. "Our devices are an extension of ourselves, and are quickly evolving into truly intelligent and intuitive assistants that not only act on our command, but also anticipate our needs," said Michael Thompson, executive vice president and general manager, Nuance Mobile. "And that's what makes Dragon Mobile Assistant an exciting innovation platform, showcasing not only what's possible, but what's critical in creating truly meaningful, more human connections with the technology we rarely go a minute without." Availability Dragon is available in beta for free in English on Google Play in the US, supporting Android 2.3 and above. To download Dragon, visit https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nuance.balerion. To learn more about Dragon Mobile Assistant, visit www.dragonmobileapps.com, or join the conversation at www.facebook.com/dragonmobileapps or @DragonMobileApp on Twitter. Dragon Mobile Assistant is a part of Nuance's portfolio of voice, touch and natural language understanding innovations that are defining a new generation of intelligent systems and personal assistant technologies, which include Dragon NaturallySpeaking, Dragon Dictate for Mac, Dragon Assistant for Intel-inspired Ultrabooks, Dragon Dictation, Dragon Go!, Dragon Drive, Dragon TV, Dragon ID, Dragon Voicemail to Text, and Swype. With Nuance technology, people experience more humanized interactions with the world's best phones, tablets, computers, cars, TVs, apps and services from leading manufacturers and operators. To learn more visitwww.nuancemobilelife.com. About Nuance Communications, Inc Nuance Communications, Inc. is a leading provider of voice and language solutions for businesses and consumers around the world. Its technologies, applications and services make the user experience more compelling by transforming the way people interact with devices and systems. Every day, millions of users and thousands of businesses experience Nuance's proven applications. For more information, please visitwww.nuance.com. Nuance, Dragon, and the Nuance logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Nuance Communications, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States of America and/or other countries. All other company names or product names may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Wish you had Tony Stark’s virtual assistant Jarvis with you everywhere you go? We do too! With Dragon you now have a Jarvis-like mini-mobile voice-enabled assistant always at the ready to deliver what you want – and fast! – with just a simple ‘Hi Dragon’. Eating BBQ and need to reply to an urgent text message that just came in? Dragon’s got you covered. Simply speak your reply and send! Tired of dialing long con-call numbers and complex passcodes? Let Dragon do the dialing for you direct from your device’s calendar at the exact meeting start time. Have a big family or a lot of friends always looking to catch up with you – simply tell Dragon when you do – and don’t! – want to share your location. Nuance’s Dragon Mobile Assistant App Expands Personal Assistant Capabilities and Availability for Android Supporting Android 2.3 and Higher, Dragon Mobile Assistant Now Lets People Launch and Play Music, Set Alarms and Open Apps Just by Speaking – No Hands Required Burlington, Mass. – December 20, 2012 – Nuance Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN) today announced that its Dragon Mobile Assistant for Android has expanded its personal assistant capabilities and extended its beta offering to the broader Android community. Now supporting devices running Android 2.3 and higher, Dragon enables nearly all Android users in the U.S. to get more out of their Android personal assistant experience with the ability to play music, set their alarm and open other applications just by speaking. Dragon combines Nuance’s industry leading natural language understanding and unique directed search capabilities with an intelligent and intuitive personal assistant experience. Simply say “Hi Dragon,” and from there the technology of the mobile interface disappears as people can simply speak to send text messages, make calls, set appointments, and now set the alarm, play their favorite song, or get instant access to apps including games, navigation, and more. People can say “Set the alarm to wake me at 6:30 AM,” “I want to listen to Aerosmith!” or “Open Angry Birds.” And when set to its always-listening Driver Mode, Dragon’s personal assistant experience is completely hands-free. Further, Dragon gives people direct, open access to the content and knowledge they want on the mobile web from more than 200 content providers – no blue links or paid search advertising – just a mobile assistant that works. “Consumers asked for Dragon Mobile Assistant on a wide range of Android devices after our launch in late October,” said Michael Thompson, executive vice president and general manager, Nuance Mobile. “So we expanded availability and added some of the most popular personal assistant features.” Conclusion Yamaguchi (2005) recapitulates: "A computer is better than a mobile phone for handling various types of information such as visual, sound, and textual information, but mobile phone is superior to a computer in portability. And some students don’t have their own computer" .So, while m-learning in general and MALL in particular have clear challenges and limitations, the paucity of applications and formal research will indubitably proliferate. Colpaert (2004) observes that in the history of CALL, periods of professional development have been followed by periods of amateur development—coincident with periods of hype—by teachers and researchers, and further portends that "if this prevails, the mobile hype will burst out as soon as tools become available allowing teachers and researchers to develop their own mobile applications and tools" .Still, humankind is not likely in the immediate future to reach the state of Salmon’s (2003) Planet Nomadic, where "terrestrial universities and corporate training facilities have disappeared" and wearable devices "help to pace the learners…through their courses". But it does seem quickly headed for a world where m-learning is a fashionable channel for language study.